First Person
The Path to Knitting Isn’t Always Straight
I always thought I would design knitting patterns; the path to making this a reality was a long and circuitous one.
Knitting came into my life in the early 2000s. I’d just had my second child and my oldest was starting at a Waldorf school. Carrying a baby around was an open invitation for people to ask: “Do you knit?”
How else would said baby acquire a cute strawberry hat to warm their head? My son was learning how to knit in class, so I decided to join him, using Kids Knitting by Melanie Falick as a guide.
Sweater no. 1 in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Worsted; Dress no. 1; Pants no. 1.
After a few lumpy projects, I got the hang of making somewhat even stitches, and then I was off to the races. The timing of my taking up needles was fortuitous. New yarn stores were popping up and there were websites and blogs (including this very one) for inspiration, as well as ways to share the results of my new passion.
I started working at a yarn store, which was a great education. Facing all sorts of issues forced me to think quickly and improvise.
Sweater no. 1 in MDK Atlas; Dress no. 1 (modified); Pants no. 1.
As I got deeper into all things knitting related, I thought, this is what I want to do. And the internet made it all seem tantalizingly within reach. My dearest ambition was to have a design in Knitty. I had friends, co-workers, and/or members of knitting groups who were designing or writing books, and I wanted that as well. But a lack of inspiration and confidence combined to delay this dream.
I started using knitting and other fiber crafts to make artwork. I had a studio space in a building full of painters. During open studio events, I would spend a lot of time informing folks about what a fiber artist was.
Along the way I started sewing and began a project where I made one hundred dresses in a year. This spawned 100 Acts of Sewing, which became a business and, suddenly, I was designing sewing patterns. But I was a knitter.
Over the years, I designed more sewing patterns, taught workshops, and wrote a book. So much of my time and energy was devoted to thinking about garment sewing. Plus, I was knitting less because of a repetitive stress injury on my elbow.
Sweater no. 1; Dress no. 1; Trouser pattern from The Act of Sewing.
My first great fiber love and I drifted apart. If this were a movie, this would be the scene where I pass knitting on the street and we barely recognize each other. Cue the sad music.
Some seeds take time to germinate. Even so, twenty years is a really long time. But here we are, it’s 2025 and I’ve designed my first sweater pattern.
Putting the sample sweater on for the first time, after weaving in ends, blocking, and sewing it together—not only had I made this garment, but I really made it. Hallelujah!
I started off with a sewing pattern, because I liked the idea of having knit and sewn versions. This does mean that the sweater pieces are knit flat. As a devotee of top down, in-the-round sweater knitting, I’m as surprised as anybody!
Sweater no. 1 in Sea Change Fibers Gorge Worsted, Dress no. 2; Pants no. 1.
But after taking this project with me traveling, I’ve come to appreciate the portability of knitting up separate pieces. Knitting flat pieces also gives me an opportunity to play around with block printing shapes on knitted fabric. My dotty sweater is a “proof of concept” with some fine tuning needed and a tutorial to come soon.
Don’t worry, there are instructions for an in-the-round version as well, because I love having options.
I’ve always believed that sewing and knitting go well together. They work symbiotically, a slow craft for a cozy movie watching time and then a dedicated session at the sewing machine to crank out a garment with relative speed.
I like to layer my handknits over shirts and dresses and love having the ability to engineer the proportions, slotting the elements together like building blocks.
As with all my designs, my sweater is a simple one. It’s a blank canvas, quite literally, for the yarn and any other embellishment to shine.
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I love the dotty sweater / let us know when that pattern is published!
Sonya, I’m so glad you are back and that you have this pattern! I purchased the Sweater no 1 and anxiously awaiting the dots instruction. Your esthetic is all things bright and happy.
Thank the Lord for a simple swifter that’s NOT knit in the round! Can’t wait!
Where can I find the sweater #1 pattern?
Thank you,
Melissa Hart
Click on the words “sweater number 1”. It takes you to the Ravelry pattern!
Oh, Sonya, when I saw your picture at the top of today’s post, I said to my dog , Sophie, “YAY” (which is what I said many times after the recent election) and Sophie wagged her tail. I love your posts (and your “dotty sweater” – wow!), inspiring to this knitter and even more to my hopes to return to sewing – after maybe 60 years! I have your book and my ancient sewing machine… maybe this winter it will happen. Many thanks.
My Aunt Sally used to tell me, when for whatever reason I was procrastinating doing something, “Just do it for 15 minutes every day.” She was so right! You can handle 15 minutes, right? And the amazing part is…sometimes it somehow goes on longer and you actually get into it!
Kids Knitting is what finally taught me to knit, after many failed attempts. So nice to hear I’m in good company!
And your Sweater No. 1 is just gorgeous. I will be purchasing that as soon as it’s available.
20 years is not a long time to get away from knitting. I learned to knit at age 8 and did a lot for a long time. But then I got into quilting, and knitting sat for about 30 years. I took it up again, and have really enjoyed it since. The only skill I lost was the ability to do a good job with color work. But I discovered lace knitting and sock knitting. Knitting is the best, IMO.
That is exactly my story. Learned to knit in Brownies and knit for a long time including at University then left it, picked up quilting etc. just like you and back to knitting. I’ve recently started quilting a bit to make some gifts. Having “stashes” in both is of course the “problem.”:)
Bought the pattern – can’t wait to knit it!
Now my making life is complete!
I took a garment sewing class from Sonya last summer and am thrilled to have the knowledge and patterns, just thrilled! Now I will have her knitting patterns (quite sure there will be more coming) to add on.
She is the bomb . . . never pass up a chance to be in her presence.
Have been with you from the start, from afar, sewing your patterns, admiring the way you,ve put your outfits together, wondering how on earth you have managed to knit all of your beautiful sweaters, all while juggling family and a business. Well done you, with your knitting pattern! Looking forward to the dotty version. Thank you for all you have added to our lives. ❤. Carry on!
Have been with you from the start, from afar, sewing your patterns, admiring the way you,ve put your outfits together, wondering how on earth you have managed to knit all of your beautiful sweaters, all while juggling family and a business. Well done you, with your knitting pattern! Looking forward to the dotty version. Thank you for all you have added to our lives. ❤. Carry on! PS…I second Ginny’s Yay and Sophie’s wag.
Oh, my, Sweater No. 1 has Kay Gardiner’s name written all over it! A little circle intarsia…the perfect complement to the spikiness of The Twigs! Great pattern, Sonya and just the enticement I need to attempt this as yet untried discipline. And the sewing patterns! Again, enticement when I am at my most vulnerable. Though I will say, ill-timed as I am in the trenches of Santa’s Workshop! Thank you for sharing!
A colourful jewel of an article – with fun photos – colour of sewn and knitted clothes play with the backgrounds… and then there is this story of living the craft at the exact right time slot. (I’ve heard many people – when talking about their lives, that they were born too early or too late.). You are so right saying that the early 2000 were a time of knitting renaissance. I remember even still in the late nineties that yarn stores were showing up in the city seemingly out of nowhere… after having disappeared in the mid eighties, what looked to be for good. Alas, I am afraid that we are stepping once more into the dark times of knitting with so many yarn companies closing and LYS’s disappearing. Only smart phones and tik tok’s are taking over… Sad…
But do keep up Sonya! 100 dresses in a year – Wow! as a sewer/sewist(?) and a knitter – but far from as fast as you are, I congratulate you!
Sonya, I’m so glad you are back and that you have this pattern! I purchased the Sweater no 1 and anxiously awaiting the dots instruction. Your esthetic is all things bright and happy. ❤️
The first time I sewed A sweater together I thought if you didn’t know how to sew this would be difficult. Knowing how to sew helps your knitting!
Sonya, you are my fashion maven! And, in passing, that dotty sweater is going to force us all to work on our intarsia technique.
I love your sense of style. Your writing is so much fun to read. I started out as a sewist, gravitated to knitting for a short while, then quilting. I am now knitting and quilting. All fun!
Hooray! I also enjoy knitting flat in pieces for some items. Especially because it is portable. If your sweater pattern is anything like your sewing patterns it will be FAB!
I love your photos! The fabrics you sew with and the backgrounds! I own your book and I plan to to make a top or dress no 1 with a vintage 1950’s tablecloth. Will let you know how it turns out.
Sewists understand the importance of seams.
And we aren’t afraid of seaming either.
Unlike much of the current knitting world.
Seams serve an important part of a garment ‘s fit and how it lays.
Plus, I despise flopping a sweater around and around to knit sleeves.
I love your sewing patterns (they’re my go to) and am excited about your sweater pattern. I hope it’s on Ravelry to buy or maybe the 100 acts of sewing website.